If you’ve been following the PGA Tour or the Ryder Cup lately, you’ve probably heard the whispers. There’s a lot of chatter about whether the Northern Irish superstar has finally ditched the Florida sun for good. Honestly, the answer to where does rory live isn't as simple as a single pin on a map anymore. For the better part of a decade, the answer was definitively Jupiter, Florida. But 2025 changed everything for the McIlroy family.
The Big U-Turn: Moving Back to the U.K.
In a move that caught a lot of fans off guard, Rory McIlroy confirmed in mid-2025 that he and his wife, Erica Stoll, along with their daughter Poppy, were relocating to the United Kingdom. This wasn't just a holiday home situation. We’re talking about a massive, custom-built mansion in Wentworth, Surrey.
Why Surrey? It’s basically the golf capital of England. The Wentworth Club is legendary—it's where the Ryder Cup was born. Rory started building this "dream home" back in 2023, right around the time his personal life was making more headlines than his swing. He actually told The Telegraph that moving into the Wentworth property gave him a sense of "detachment" he couldn't find in the States.
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He’s not just there for the scenery. The house is reportedly worth around £16 million (nearly $20 million) and features:
- Nine bedrooms and ten bathrooms (plenty of room for the Irish relatives).
- A professional-grade recording studio (Rory's a big music fan, though we haven't seen a single yet).
- A state-of-the-art gym that would make most Olympic facilities look like a basement setup.
- Direct access to the famous Wentworth golf course.
Does He Still Have the Florida Mansion?
Even though the family has moved their primary base to Surrey, you don't just walk away from a $20 million asset in Jupiter. Rory still owns his famous estate in The Bear’s Club, an ultra-exclusive gated community in Florida founded by Jack Nicklaus.
He bought that place from Ernie Els back in 2017 for about $11 million. Today? It’s estimated to be worth double that. It’s got a six-car garage, a tennis court, and a pool that looks like something out of a Bond movie. While he’s spending more time in the U.K. now to be closer to his parents and give Poppy a British/Irish upbringing, he hasn't officially sold the Jupiter house. Florida is still the ultimate "work" base for the PGA Tour season because, well, the weather is predictable and there’s no state income tax. That matters when you're worth nearly $300 million.
Why the Change of Heart?
It's no secret that the last couple of years were a rollercoaster for the McIlroys. Between filing for divorce in May 2024 and then dramatically calling it off just weeks later, the couple decided they needed a "new beginning."
Living in Jupiter is like living in a goldfish bowl for pro golfers. You can’t go to the grocery store without seeing Tiger Woods or Justin Thomas. Rory mentioned that in Florida, he could never "get away from" the game. In Surrey, he can sort of hide. He can be a dad, go for a walk in the English countryside, and breathe. Plus, his wife Erica reportedly wanted to escape the brutal Florida humidity. Can you blame her?
The Holywood Connection
Whenever people ask where does rory live, he’ll always tell you his heart is in Holywood, Northern Ireland. He grew up there in a modest semi-detached house on Sullivan Place. While he hasn't lived there permanently since 2006, he’s a frequent visitor.
He recently invested a ton of money back into Holywood Golf Club, building a world-class training center. If he’s not in Surrey or Florida, he’s probably in County Down visiting his mom and dad, Rosie and Gerry.
Practical Insights for Fans
If you're trying to keep track of where the world's most famous golfer is actually based, here is the current reality:
- Primary Family Residence: Wentworth, Surrey, UK. This is where he spends his "off" weeks and where the family is settled.
- U.S. Training Base: The Bear’s Club, Jupiter, Florida. He still uses this during heavy stretches of the PGA Tour schedule.
- The "Home" Home: Holywood, Northern Ireland. He visits frequently, but it’s no longer his legal residence.
Moving to the U.K. seems to have worked. Since the move, Rory finally clinched that elusive green jacket at the 2025 Masters, proving that a little bit of peace and quiet at home can translate to fire on the fairway. If you're looking to spot him, you're now more likely to see him in a London coffee shop than a Palm Beach juice bar.
To keep up with his schedule, follow the official PGA Tour and DP World Tour entry lists. His location usually shifts based on which side of the Atlantic the big money is on that month.